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Athlete of the Week: Walkertown's Nathan Jenkins

Living with Spastic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy, Walkertown freshman Nathan Jenkins is making big strides on the Wolfpack track team; strides that one day will help him walk across the stage at graduation. WXII 12's Kenny Beck has his story.

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Updated: 7:56 PM EDT Mar 26, 2015

Athlete of the Week: Walkertown's Nathan Jenkins

Living with Spastic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy, Walkertown freshman Nathan Jenkins is making big strides on the Wolfpack track team; strides that one day will help him walk across the stage at graduation. WXII 12's Kenny Beck has his story.

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Updated: 7:56 PM EDT Mar 26, 2015

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WEBVTT KENNY BECK INTRODUCES US TO AREMARKABLY MOTIVATED16-YEAR-OLD, NATHAN JENKINS.KENNY:HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PLAYSPORTS FOR A LOT OF REASONS.TO TURN PRO, TO STAY IN SHAPE,OR TO MAKE FRIENDS.BUTNATHAN JENKINS WANTS TO GETHIS LEGS STRONG ENOUGH SO THATHE CAN WALK ACROSS THE STAGE INGRADUATION WITHOUT HELP.FOR AS LONG AS HE CANREMEMBER,LIFE HAS BEEN JUST A LITTLETOUGHER FOR NATHAN JENKINS.HE HAS LIVED WITH CEREBRAL PALSYSINCE THE DAY HE WAS BORN.NATHAN: IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGS ANDIT ALSO AFFECTS MANY OTHER PARTSOF YOUR BODY LIKE IN YOUR HIPS.KENNY HE SUFFERED A STROKE INCHILDBIRTH AND WAS: TWO MONTHSPREMATURE.NATHAN: SOME DAYS ARE HARDERTHAN OTHERS.KENNY:TASKS THAT ARE SIMPLE FORYOU AND ME REQUIRE HIM TO HAVE ASPOTTER.THIS IS HIS TRACK COACH,MATTHEW.MATTHEW: WHEN I FIRST MET HIM, ISAW HIM IN THE HALLS.THE POSITION OPENED UP AND IBECAME HIS ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANTAND IT WAS DECIDED, I FOUND OUTHE HAD INTEREST IN GETTING OUTOF THE WALKER THAT HE USES AND ISAID, THAT IS PERFECT, I AM ATRACK COACH.KENNY: HE IS JUSTNOT ANHONORARY MEMBER OR TEAM MANAGER,HE IS A FULL-FLEDGEDPARTICIPANT, AN ATHLETE WILLSTOP STATE RULES -- ATHLETE.STATE RULES SAY YOU CANNOT USE AWALKER BUT HE CAN USE AWHEELCHAIR AND HIS POINTS COUNTFOR THE FINAL SCORE STOP METHOD:PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THE LITTLE-- SCORE.UNDERSTANDABLY, THE TRAININGREGIMEN IS A LITTLE DIFFERENTBUT HE WOULD BE AMAZED BY WHATHE IS ABLE TO DO.HE USES FREE WEIGHTS AND RIDES ASTATIONARY BIKE.NATHAN: EVERY DAY I AM GETTINGSTRONGER.MATTHEW: HE MAKES THE WANT TO BEA BETTER PERSON.IF HE WALKS ACROSS TO GET ADIPLOMA, THAT WOULD BE BIG.NATHAN: PEOPLE TELL ME THAT I AMINSPIRING AND IT MAKES ME FEELGOOD THAT PEOPLE THINK THAT OFME BECAUSE I JUST WORK HARD EACHAND EVERY DAY AND EVERYDAY I DOTHAT IT GETS EASIER FOR ME TO DOIT.KENNY IF: YOU KNOW I LIKE ALLHIGH SCHOOL STUDENT DEFINING THEODDS ARE OVERCOMING ADVERSITY ORWITH A UNIQUE HUMAN INTERESTSTORY, NOMINATE THEM TO BE THENEXT FLOW ATHLETE OF THE WEEK.E-MAIL ME OR FIND ME ON SOCIALMEDIA.NATHAN TURNS16 IN EARLY MARCHAND HOPES HE CAN RAISE BICYCLESCOMPETITIVELY -- RACE BICYCLESCOMPETITIVELY ONE DAY.

Athlete of the Week: Walkertown's Nathan Jenkins

Living with Spastic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy, Walkertown freshman Nathan Jenkins is making big strides on the Wolfpack track team; strides that one day will help him walk across the stage at graduation. WXII 12's Kenny Beck has his story.